Microsoft’s Live OneCare ‘security’ failureware: dead last in test of 17 Windows security apps

Apple Store“Microsoft’s Live OneCare security software has failed tests which check how well it spots and stops malicious programs designed to attack Windows,” BBC News reports. “OneCare was the only failure among 17 anti-virus programs tested by the AV Comparatives organisation.”

“Microsoft’s software only spotted 82.4% of the 500,000 viruses that the independent group subjected it to,” The Beeb reports.

“The test is the second in less than a month that Microsoft’s anti-virus software has failed,” The Beeb reports. “Live OneCare is Microsoft’s flagship security program that, like many other anti-virus products, is designed to help PC users keep their machine clear of malicious software.”

“Austria-based AV Comparatives carries out quarterly tests of top anti-virus programs to find out if they have kept up with the growing mass of viruses circulating online,” The Beeb reports. “The tests see if anti-virus software can spot a variety of malicious programs including macro and script viruses, worms, backdoors and trojans. The majority of programs tested, 14, got an advanced pass or better from AV Comparatives; two got a standard rating and OneCare failed.”

Full article here.
If Mediocresoft can’t secure Windows before the fact, why would they be able to secure it after? You have to be pretty ignorant to use Windows when Apple Macs are readily available at very competitive, often better, prices, but only a true dunce would pay Mafiasoft an annual fee to “secure” Windows. If you want actual security, Get a Mac.

Related articles:
Windows virus cripples Florida newspaper; Mac-based publishers unaffected – March 02, 2007
Insidious Windows virus threatens business networks worldwide; Macintosh unaffected – March 01, 2007
Microsoft’s Windows Vista Live OneCare security tool fails active virus test – February 05, 2007
Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
PC World writer’s advice for Microsoft: ‘Stop making crap’ – July 27, 2006
McAfee expects 400,000 viruses by 2008 – July 06, 2006
Apple: ‘Get a Mac. Say ‘Buh-Bye’ to viruses’ – June 01, 2006

20 Comments

  1. Microsoft STRIVES to reach the level of mediocrity, which they repeatedly fail to reach.

    WHY does MS have this obsessive need to control everything?

    Seriously, why do they need to offer virus software, when others have, VERY clearly from this article, been doing it well for years.

    A pox on BillCo.

  2. Usual Beeb reporting accuracy I see. 500,000 viruses ??? I don’t think so unless they suddenly invented another 380,000 or so.

    I suspect that if the testers claim 500,000 separate viruses, they are lying and therefore their results are suspect. We all know windows is crap at security, but lets play fair. We don’t like it when the Beeb and others get it wrong about OSX so why should we let them off the hook when they are so obviously wrong about other things.

    Cheers

  3. We used to always hear the number 300,000 +/- thrown around with ‘Doze, but half a million? Add to that the recent order by the Federal Department of Transportation that suspends VISTA purchases due to finding that it provides nothing extra of value despite Micro$oftopoly’s security claims. I live in the south, but hear the distinct sound of chairs flying off to the northwest.

  4. Take a sedative. You are correct that they made a misstatement, but the meaning becomes clear in the next paragraph. “The tests see if anti-virus software can spot a variety of malicious programs including macro and script viruses, worms, backdoors and trojans. “

  5. Anti-trust concerns might have played a part in M$’s decision to put out a crappy product, so as to require a third party add-on. The real danger is that there will be “people”- with anything M$, there always are- who will be even further deluded after buying Vista or a new box who won’t get extra anti-virus because M$ already “included” it free.

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